BEMIDJI, Minn. (Sanford Center) -- Cory Ward scored 2:03 into overtime to propel the Bemidji State men's ice hockey team to a 4-3 victory over University of Alaska Saturday at Sanford Center to clinch a Western Collegiate Hockey Association series sweep.

Nate Arentz collected his second consecutive multi-point game, netting a pair of goals to go with an assist on the game-winner to complete the weekend with five points (3g, 2a).

Andrew Walsh improved to 1-2-0 on the season, turning aside 30 Nanooks' shots and backstopping a penalty-kill unit that snuffed out five of UA's six man-advantage opportunities.

The Beavers, now 3-3-0 overall and 2-0-0 in WCHA play, hit the road to face the league's preseason favorite in Minnesota State University, Mankato (5-3-0; 3-1-0 WCHA) Nov. 7-8. The series will get underway from Verizon Wireless Center at 7:07 p.m. Friday, with the opening faceoff for the series finale set for 7:07 p.m. Saturday.

Bemidji State men’s hockey notes:

• Following a 4-3 overtime victory Saturday and a series sweep, BSU is 6-2-1 all-time versus the Nanooks and have won three straight in a series that got its start Jan. 3, 1982.

• BSU evens its record at 3-3-0 overall and is 2-0-0 in league play.
• Bemidji State is 2-1-0 at home this season.
• BSU was 0-for-6 on the man advantage Friday, marking the Beavers’ third consecutive game without a power-play goal.
• BSU’s last power-play tally came off the stick of Cory Ward in the third period of BSU’s Oct. 10 game at Minnesota-- a streak stretching 16 power-play chances.
• Brendan Harms logged a goal and an assist for his second multi-point effort in four games played.
• Nate Arentz logged the second consecutive multi-point game and the third of his collegiate career with two goals and an assist.
• Arentz has now scored at least a point in each of the Beavers’ last three games (3g-3a).
• With an assist Saturday, Brendan Harms has scored in the last three games he’s play in (1g-3a).

• This weekend’s sweep marks the Beavers’ first at Sanford Center since Feb. 10-11, 2012 versus Colorado College (4-1 and 4-2).
• The sweep was the first in league play since earned back-to-back wins at Lake Superior State Jan. 10-11, 2014 (5-2 and 3-1).

• Bemidji State is 5-1-1 when hosting Alaska all time.
• BSU is now averaging 4.78 goals per game in nine all-time games versus Alaska.

• Bemidji State is now 3-for-28 (.107) on the man advantage this year.
• The BSU penalty-kill unit held the Nanooks to 1-for-6 on the man advantage tonight to move to 26-of-32 (.812)  on the season.
• In just four games of his sophomore campaign, Charlie O’Connor has surpassed his freshman point total (2g-2a).

• Matt Prapavessis has posted a point in three consecutive games after an assist Saturday. The defender now has six points (3g-3a) in five career games versus the Nanooks.
• In six career games versus the Nanooks, Cory Ward now has six points (4g-2a).
• Picking up his first win of the season, Andrew Walsh matched a season-high 30 saves.
• Walsh improved to 2-1-0  versus Alaska and now has a.946 save percentage and a 2.64 goals against average.
• BSU was outshot 33-23 Saturday to gain its second straight win despite being out shot. BSU is 2-3-0 when being outshot this season.
• BSU was outshot 60-47 in the series.
• BSU is 3-1-0 this season when scoring first.
• Through its first six gams of 2014-15, BSU is averaging 3.5 goals per game. A year ago it posted 2.42 goals per game.
• 2014-15 BSU men’s hockey stats
• 2014-15 BSU men’s hockey schedule
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Nestled in Northern Minnesota’s wooded region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men’s and women’s hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

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